Chap. 1. 11 THE SAINTS' REST. 25 thousand times more. Christian, thou wilt be then brim- full of love ; yet, love as much as thou canst, thou shalt be ten thousand times more beloved. Were the arms of the Son of God open upon the cross, and an open passage made to his heart by the spear, and will not his arms and heart be open to thee in glory ? Did not he begin to love before thou lovedst, and will not he continue now ? Did he love thee, an enemy ? thee, a sinner ? thee, who even loathedst thyself ? and own thee, when thou didst disclaim thyself? And will be not now immeasurably love thee, a son ? thee, a perfect saint ? thee, who returnedst some love for love ? He that in love wept over the old Jerusalem when near its ruin, with what love will he rejoice over the new Jerusalem in her glory ! Christian, believe this, and think on it : thou shalt be eternally embraced in the arms of that love, which was from everlasting, and will extend to everlasting; of that love which brought the Son of God's love from heaven to earth, from earth to the cross, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to glory : that love which was . weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourged, buffeted, spit upon, crucified, pierced : which did fast, pray, teach, heal, weep, sweat, bleed, die ; that love will eternally embrace thee. When perfect created love, and most perfect uncreated love, meet together, it will not be like Joseph and his brethren, who lay upon one ano- ther's necks weeping; it will be loving and rejoicing, not loving and sorrowing. Yet it will make Satan's court ring with the news, that Joseph's brethren are come, that the saints are arrived safe at the bosom of Christ, out of the reach of hell for ever. Nor is there any such love as David's and Jonathan's, breathing out its last into sad la- mentations for a forced separation. Know this, believer, to thy everlasting comfort, if those arms have once em- braced thee, neither sin nor hell can get thee thence for ever. Thou hast not to deal with an inconstant crea- ture, but with him with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning. His love to thee will not be as thine was on earth to him, seldom, and cold, up and down. He that would not cease nor abate his hive, for all thine en- mity, unkind neglects, and churlish resistances, can he cease to love thee, when he bath made thee truly lovely ? He that keepeth thee so constant in thy love to him, that 2
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